Floribunda rose plant named `Morflash`

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Floribunda rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of two-toned scarlet and white coloration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Floribunda Rose.The varietal denomination of the new variety is `Morflash`. The plant isbushy and upright and cultivated for outdoor garden decoration. It hasas its seed parent `Orangeade` and as its pollen parent `Macmanly` (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 6,907).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety `Morflash` fromother presently available and known commercial rose cultivars are thefollowing combination of charcteristics: its extreme thorniness withprickles of all sizes, its very long lasting flowers, its novel bicolorcoloration of scarlet orange and white, and its abundant production oflarge sprays. `Morflash` may be asexually propagated by cuttings,budding, and grafting.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety as performed in Kern County andUpland, Calif., by budding shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENT VARIETIES

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, `Orangeade` bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas `Morflash`produces mostly large sprays of flowers, the seed parent is less likelyto produce sprays and the sprays are significantly smaller. `Orangeade`produces moderably large flowers of single petalage, whereas the newvariety produces smaller flowers with more double petalage. The flowersof `Orangeade` are a clear orange coloration, whereas `Morflash` has abicolor coloration of scarlet orange and white.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, `Macmanly`by the following combination of characteristics: whereas the pollenparent is classified as a Miniature with small flowers and foliage, thenew seedling is classified as a Floribunda with significantly largerflowers and foliage. `Morflash` produces fully double flowers of scarletorange and white coloration, whereas `Macmanly` produces semi-doubleflowers of red and white coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thischaracter. Throughout this specification, color values are based uponthe Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England,except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of rose plants of the new cultivar grownoutdoors in Wasco, Calif. in the month of September. Phenotypicexpression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety usually bears several flowers per stem. Flowers areborne in irregular flat to rounded clusters on normal strong mediumlength stems (about 14 to about 20 cm.), for the class. Outdoors theplant blooms very abundantly and nearly continuously during the growingseason. The flowers have a slight apple-like fragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is moderately long for the class (about 6 to about 9 cm.),and usually erect. It is moderately rought, with numerous stipitateglands and few small prickles. Peduncle color is between 144B and 138Bsometimes lightly suffused with near 183B.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is of small to medium size for theclass (about 1.5 cm. in diameter at the widest point), moderately shortto medium in length (about 2 to about 2.5 cm.), and pointed to ovoid inshape. The surface of the bud bears some stipitate glands usually withslender foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the bud equal to1/4 or more of its length. Bud color is between 144B and 138B oftenmoderately suffused with near 183B.

The inner surface of the sepals is covered with fine wooly tomentum;sepal margins are lined with few stipitate glands and hairs.

As the petals open, the bud is moderately small to medium for the class(about 1.5 to about 2 cm. in diameter at the widest point), moderatelyshort to medium in length (about 2.5 cm.), and somewhat pointed to ovoidin form. The color of the under surfaces of the newly opened petals isbetween 36A and 36D with a medium sized attachment zone at the base ofnear 2D. Areas hit by the sun blush to between 42B and 45D. The color ofthe upper surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 45A and 45Cwith as moderately large attachment zone at the base of near 4A. The buddoes open up wall and is not prevented from opening by wet, hot or dryweather.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom is somewhat small to medium for the class,ranging from about 6 to about 7 cm. in diameter. Petalage is double with31 to 37 petals and 4 to 7 petaloids arranged irregularly. Whenpartially open, the bloom form is moderately flat to cupped and thepetals are somewhat loosely cupped and undulated. When fully open, thebloom form is somewhat more cupped to flat and the petals are moreloosely cupped to undulated with petal edges very slightly reflexedoutward.

PETALS

The petals are of moderately heavy to somewhat crisp substance andmoderately thick with upper surfaces satiny and under surfaces slightlyshiny. The outer petals are nearly round to broadly obovate in shapewith mucronate apices. The inner petals are usually obovate in shapewith mucronate apices.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The under surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between36D and 155A with a medium sized attachment zone at the base of near 2D.The upper surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between44B and 45C with a moderately large attachment zone at the base of near4A.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 44B and 45Cwith a reverse of between 36D and 155A.

THREE DAY OLD FLOWER

The under surface of the outer and inner petals is near 155A. The uppersurface of the outer and inner petals is between 43C and 47D with amoderately large attachment zone at the base of near 155A.

The general tonality of the three day old flower is between 43C and 47Dwith a reverse of near 155A.

Petals on spent bloom usually drop off cleanly.

In September, in Wasco, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last from five or more days. Cut roses grown outdoors and keptat normal indoor living temperatures generally last from six or moredays.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are arranged regularly about the pistil; a few are mixed withpetaloids and tucked in the receptacle. The filaments are short, mostwith anthers. The anthers are small and all open approximately at thesame time. Anther color is near 17A when immature and near 165B atmaturity. Pollen is sparse, near 12B in color.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils are very abundant (approximately 135). The styles are uneven,short, and bunched. Stigma and style color is near 4A. Ovaries areusually all enclosed in the calyx.

Hips are globular in form, and near 17B in color when ripe. The hipsurface is very smooth with thick fleshy walls. Seeds are average innumber (approximately 12 to 16).

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to five andoccasionally seven leaflets and are borne abundantly. The leaves aresomewhat small to medium for the class (about 9 to about 11 cm. inlength and about 7 to about 8 cm. in width at the widest point),moderately heavy to crisp in texture, and semi-glossy in finish. Theleaflets are somewhat small to medium for the class (about 4.5 to about5.5 cm. in length and about 2.5 cm. in width at the widest point),shaped moderately oval to ovate with acute apices and acute to roundbases. Their margins are very dentate.

The upper surface of the mature leaf is between 147A and 139l A. Theunder surface of the mature leaf is between 148B and 189B. The upper andunder surface of the young leaf is between 147B and 138B, often heavilysuffused with between 187A and 183A.

The rachis is grooved with some hairs and stipitate glands on the edgesof the upper side. The under side of the rachis is somewhat rough withsome hairs and stipitate glands and 2 to 4 small prickles.

The stipules have short to medium straight points that usually turn outat an angle of less than 45 degrees.

The plant displays resistance to powdery mildew and rust as compared toother commercial varieties grown under comparable conditions in Wasco,Calif.

GROWTH

The plant is very vigorous and has a bushy upright medium to tall habit(about 110 to about 120 cm. in height and about 70 to about 80 cm.spread at the widest point), and is moderately full branching.

The color of the major stems is between 146C and 146D. They bearnumerous almost straight prickles of many sizes; prickle color is nearto between 166B and 166C.

The color of the branches is between 146B and 138B. They bear numerousprickles of many sizes; prickle color is near to between 160B and 160C.

The color of the new shoots is between 144B and 138B, often suffusedwith near 183A. They bear numerous prickles of many sizes which aremoderately long and almost straight with a somewhat medium length tolong moderately broad base; prickle color is near to between 145A and144C, sometimes lightly suffused at the base with near 183A.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose substantiallyas described and illustrated herein.